[Peace] Fwd:[ANSWER]: Answering Bush's War Propaganda on Iraq (2 of

[Dlind49 at aol.com]

This just one more ongoing action by US DoD jerks against U.S. citizens that 
must be stopped. 

doug 

Vieques Update, July 22, 2002 

Warm greetings from the Peace and Justice Camp, center of operations for the 
Committee for the Rescue and Development of Vieques (CRDV), located in front 
of the entrance to the United States Navy base in Vieques. The month of July 
has been full of activity in this struggle for peace for Vieques. Here is a 
brief summary: 

Situation of Robert Rabin and Hiram Lozada in the Federal Prison, Guaynabo, 
PR 

On Thursday, July 18 around 6 PM, Prisoners for Peace in Vieques Robert (Bob) 
Rabin and Attorney Hiram Lozada, President of the Human Rights Committee of 
the Puerto Rico Lawyer's Guild, were transferred - without any explanation or 
notice - from Unit 1A (minimum security) to Unit 1B, which has more 
restrictions such as limiting visits to one afternoon per week, only for 
immediate family members. Rabin has been denied the right to make telephone 
calls - not even to his mother, who resides in Boston. It should be noted 
that recently these two men - who are completing sentences of six (Rabin) and 
four (Lozada) months for the misdemeanor offence of entering the bombing 
range in Vieques to halt the bombing last April - publicly denounced a series 
of violations of the prisoners' rights. We call on all who are committed to 
peace and human rights to communicate with the prison, in order to express 
concern for the well-being of our prisoners for peace in Vieques. Telephone 
calls and faxed letters may be sent to the official in charge of prisoners' 
issues: Attorney Alma López, Tel:(787)749-4480; Fax:(787)775-7824. 

The Navy's Activities in Vieques 

Members of the Peace and Justice Camp have observed for various weeks the 
construction of floating piers and bouys in the extreme northeast and 
southeast of the coasts of Vieques. We visited the public library here in 
Vieques to review the public documents regarding the construction, according 
to the announcement published by the Navy. However, the documents are not 
there, and none of the library's employees have seen them. A letter has been 
sent to the Navy denouncing this violation of the law. 

Other construction work in the base has also been noted, such as narrowing 
the entrance with concrete barriers and enormous stones. During July they 
have also brought large quantities of barbed wire into the base. We don't 
doubt that much of this material is for replacing sections of the fence that 
divides Vieques between civilian and military occupied territory, since every 
week hundreds of feet of the fence are torn down, which infuriates the 
military personnel. 

We have also observed a great deal of movement of military personnel between 
Camp Garcia and the giant pier, located in the western lands recently turned 
over to civilian use. On Monday afternoon, July 15 we saw two boats full of 
troops, followed by two ships and two helicopters, moving rapidly along the 
northern coast towards the east. 

Activities with Activists from the U.S. 

Young members of the CPRDV Irma Clark and Ivan Torres traveled to Los 
Angeles, California, where they participated in a conference of community 
organizations of youths of color from all regions of the U.S. They returned 
from the conference very pleased with what they experienced, and immediately 
joined in the work here. The Peace and Justice Camp has also received visits 
from groups of young people from New Jersey, New York and California. 

Relay for Peace and the Future of Vieques, August 24, 2002 

The CPRDV, together with other members of the Vieques community, is preparing 
the event "Relay for Peace and the Future of Vieques," which will be held on 
August 24 starting at 1:00 PM. This is a walk from Point Arenas, in the 
extreme west, up to Camp García. The first leg will be traversed by the 
people who were expropriated by the Navy during the 1940's, who will pass on 
the torch to the younger adults, and so on to the youths and children who 
will some day enjoy a "Little Girl Island" without fences. Upon arriving at 
the gate to the military base an "eternal flame" will be lit which will be 
maintained alight until the Navy leaves. 

Campaign for a Presidential Executive Order 

Attorney Flavio Cumpiano, who represents the CRDV in Washington, D.C., sent 
us copies of letters that a number of congress members have written to 
President Bush recommending that he issue an Executive Order ordering the 
immediate and permanent cessation of bombing and all other military 
activities in Vieques. We remind you that as yet there is nothing in writing 
that puts a definite date for the end of the Navy's use of Vieques, and we 
urge all to continue with the calls and faxed letters to the White House: 

Tel:(202)456-1414; Fax:(202)456-2461. 

Preparations for Civil Disobedience During the Next Military Maneuvers 

The CRDV continues its preparations for civil disobedience for the next 
maneuvers, programmed for the second half of August and/or September. We call 
on all who wish to participate to communicate with us. In addition, we are 
asking for the customary donations of funds and materials for the civil 
disobedience actions: all sizes of batteries, "walkie-talkie" radios, small 
flashlights, water, and other necessities. 

Yours in struggle and solidarity, 

Committee for the Rescue and Development of Vieques 

Contacts: 

Nilda Medina (787)741-0716 

Ismael Guadelupe (787)741-2304 


Published information:

FORMER HEAD OF PENTAGON'S DEPLETED URANIUM PROJECT AND ONE OF THE AUTHORS OF 
PENTAGON'S PROGRAM FOR ENVIRONMENTAL REMEDIATION OF FORMERLY USED DEFENSE 
SITES  CONDEMNS ENVIRONMENTAL CONTAMINATION OF VIEQUES CAUSED BY
U.S. NAVY OPERATIONS.

February 9, 2000, Jacksonville, Alabama

Professor  Doug Rokke, Ph.D., former Director of the Pentagon's Depleted
Uranium Project and one of the authors of  Pentagon's  program for
environmental remediation of  formerly used defense sites, denounced the
U.S. Navy's use of Vieques for many years as a training and test ground
for military munitions.  Navy officers and enlisted personnel under orders
and as part of Navy operations have fired conventional and depleted
uranium munitions into the Vieques range resulting in serious adverse
health and environmental effects. After a civilian guard was killed in
April 1999, Navy officials acknowledged that they willfully violated "the
requirements of the Navy's radioactive materials by firing depleted
uranium munitions which specify that depleted uranium ammunition is to be
used strictly during combat or approved tests and are prohibited from
peacetime or training use", according to Luis Reyes in a letter he sent to
the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico's Secretary of Health Carmen Melecio dated
1 February 2000.

Mr. Reyes added that Navy officers in Vieques failed to "follow written
procedures for issuance and use of ammunition".  Moreover, a report
prepared by scientists from the University of Georgia revealed that they
found barrels containing unknown and potentially hazardous chemicals on
ships deliberately sunk off of the coast of Vieques in 15' - 20' of water.
These ships were shot up.

"It is imperative that complete environmental remediation of all affected
terrain and medical care be provided for all affected residents of
Vieques.", Dr. Rokke stated.

Depleted uranium (DU) or uranium-238 is made from uranium hexaflouride
which is the non-fissionable by-product of the uranium enrichment process
used to obtain uranium-235 for reactor fuel and nuclear bombs. A
surprising announcement by U.S. Department of Energy officials on January
29, 2000 acknowledged, after many years of denial, that employees of their
facilities had significantly higher incident rates for leukemia; Hodgkin's
lymphoma; and cancers of the prostrate, kidney, liver, salivary glands,
and lungs. Previous announcements acknowledged respiratory problems at the
Paducah, Kentucky facility. These revelations and acknowledgments
reinforce the suspected health and environmental hazards of depleted
uranium which is manufactured from the main byproduct, uranium
hexaflouride, of each of these facilities.  It is even more disturbing
that in a memorandum dated October 30, 1943, senior scientists assigned to
the Manhattan Project suggested that uranium could be used as an air and
terrain contaminant.  According to the letter sent by the Subcommittee of
the S-1 Executive Committee on the "Use of Radioactive Materials as a
Military Weapon" to General Groves (October 30, 1943) inhalation of
uranium would result in "bronchial  irritation coming on in a few hours to
a few days".  This is exactly what happened to individuals who inhaled DU
dust during Operation Desert Storm. 

The subcommittee went on further to state that "Beta emitting products
could get into the gastrointestinal tract from polluted water, or food, or
air.  From the air, they would get on the mucus of  the nose, throat,
bronchi, etc. and be swallowed.  The effects would be local irritation
just as in the bronchi and exposures of the same amount would be required.
The stomach, caecum and rectum, where contents remain for longer periods
than elsewhere would be most likely affected.  It is conceivable that
ulcers and perforations of the gut followed by death could be produced,
even without an general effects from radiation".  Today many who inhaled
or ingested DU have bouts of explosive diarrhea and other problems.
Today, most of health effects predicted by the subcommittee in 1943 are
observed in those exposed to DU during ODS.

According to the U.S. Army's official "RESPOND TO DEPLETED URANIUM/LOW
LEVEL RADIOACTIVE MATERIALS (DULLRAM) HAZARDS"  task number "031-503-1017:
Contamination will make food and water unsafe for consumption."  This
direct quote verifies  that the military still is
aware as they always have been been since 1943 that serious hazards
exist from uranium (DU) contamination.

Dr. Rokke stated that each day reveals more evidence that the United
States' willful distribution of uranium in Puerto Rico and other
locations around the world poses serious risks.  Although it is
difficult to verify that health effects were caused by DU exposure,
accumulating evidence indicates that health effects include: reactive
airway disease, neurological abnormalities, kidney stones, chronic kidney
pain, rashes, vision degradation, night vision losses, gum tissue
problems, lymphoma, leukemia, other cancers, neuro-psychological
disorders, uranium in semen, sexual dysfunction, gastro-intestinal
problems, and birth defects in offspring.

Responsibility for DU exposures will be elusive while U.S. officials
deny or delay medical treatment to all individuals who inhaled,
ingested, or have wound contamination. Exposures will continue until
removal of all DU contamination is completed. Still, Dr. Rokke added
that Department of Defense officials continue to deny any responsibility
for this travesty of environmental justice.   Dr. Rokke recommended that,
the citizens of Vieques and the world must insist that:

1. All individuals who may have inhaled, ingested, or had wound
contamination must receive medical assessment and treatment for adverse
health effects.

2. All depleted uranium penetrator fragments, contaminated equipment, and
oxide contamination must be removed and disposed of to prevent further
adverse health and environmental effects.

3.  The use of depleted uranium munitions must be banned.

The residue caused by the use of conventional munitions also poses serious
health and environmental risks.  Conventional munitions residue consists
of unstable and unexploded ordnance, heavy metal shrapnel, organic
compound residues, and inorganic chemical compound residues.  The
unanswered question is whether any chemical warfare or biological warfare
agents have been used on Vieques.  Conventional munitions residues may
consist of phosphorous or other pyrophoric materials; napalm; triethalum
metal incendiaries; lead styphnate; lead azide; nitroglycerin; mercury
azide; mercury fulminate; PETN; Compositions A, B, C; Tetryl; TNT; RDX;
HBX; black powder; ammonium nitrate; Favier explosives (reference U.S.
Corps of Engineers Missouri River Division, February 10, 1993); HMX; TNB;
DNB; NB; 2,4 DNT; 2,6 DNT;  2NT; 3 NT, 4NT; 4-Am-DNT; and  2-am-DNT
(reference U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Omaha District December 12, 1996);
picrates;  nitrocellulose; AP; and nitroaromatics (reference SAIC May, 6,
1997).   

In addition to these contaminants the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
(reference "Approaches for the Remediation of Federal Facility Sites
Contaminated with Explosives or Radioactive Wastes", EPA/625/R-93/013,
September 1993) identified similar and additional contaminants.  The
probable adverse health and environmental effects based on  physical and
chemical characteristics of these conventional munitions residues  mandate
a complete analysis followed by thorough environmental remediation of all
affected areas on the island or in the surrounding waters of Vieques.
Medical care also must be provided for these exposures.

Professor Rokke stated that the recent finding of ships sunk with
potential hazardous materials in leaking barrels off the coast of Vieques
in 15' to 20' is disturbing.  Probable water and thus food chain
contamination from these leaking barrels with unknown chemicals and decay
of ship construction materials also mandates a thorough analysis of
contamination, completion of environmental remediation, and health care
for all affected individuals.

Dr. Rokke also denounced the fact that almost eights (8) months have
passed since the Committee for the Rescue and Development of Vieques filed
a Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) request on June 16, 1999 from all the
US military branches, requesting any and all information about the use of
DU on Vieques and the Committee has yet to receive substantive response.
"The Navy was forced to admit that they fired DU on Vieques on February
1999.  But the fact that it's taken so long for the Armed Forces to
categorically admit or deny others uses of DU on Vieques raises suspicion
that there have been other uses of DU on Vieques.  This wouldn't surprise
me, since the Armed Forces have treated Vieques and its citizens as guinea
pigs." said Dr. Rokke.

Finally, Dr. Rokke added that environmental contamination caused by
deliberate U.S. Navy actions resulting in air, water, and soil
contamination with consequent adverse health effects is a crime  gainst
humanity and must be immediately corrected.  He stated: "All citizens of
Vieques, Puerto Rico, the United States, and all other nations of the
world must unite to protect our fragile environment and the health of all
living things. We also must demand the cessation of all Naval activities
on Vieques to prevent further problems in the name of GOD and for the
citizens of the world."